Stacker mechanism



Aug. ll, 1953 T. B. DALToN 2,548,181

STACKER MECHANISM Filed MarGh 2l, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aus- 11, 1953 T. B. DLTON 2,648,181

STACKER MECHANISM Filed March 21, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. l1, 1953 T. B. DAL-ron STACKER MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 21, 1950 c 5. 0 0 .l 1l YN .lil 11M l e d y i N QN 7W ,f N. www@ if EN EN i@ N 4 x QN WJ. n'. R 5m SQ o. NQ www U J w o o o \\.N hm. QN QN o o :En No mw nu 4 N* WN N* o NM D mwN Mm .SN QE): N W O Q R. f\ QU NNY QMQN NNN mm. m NM. MW u 1 e e mm. ha LN Y) m QN ww 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 T. B. DALTON STACKER MEQHANISM wN l Aug. 11, 1953 Filed March 21. 195o Aug. 11, 1953 T. B. DALTON sTACmR MECHANISM Filed March 2,1, 195o 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 1l, 1953 STACKER MECHANISM Thomas B. Dalton, Montague, Mich., assignor, by

mesnc assignments, to Valley Research Corporation, Montague, Mich.,

Michigan a corporation of Application March 21, 1950, Serial No. 150,867

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a stacker mechanism for stacking products preparatory to such products being wrapped in a wrapping machine, the present mechanism being particularly designed for the stacking of prints of butter or oleomargarine so that they can be wrapped in a wrapping ina-chine of any suitable kind such as those disclosed in my copending applications, Serial No. 29,435, filed May 27, 1948, and Serial No. 121,857, filed October 1'7, 1949.

One object of the present invention is to provide a stacking machine which is operable as a unit including its own motor for operation of its mechanism, such mechanism being so designed and so connected with a wrapping machine that it is timed by a cycli-cally operable element of the wrapping machine so as to deliver a stack of products to the machine, one each cycle of its operation and at the proper time in that cycle.

Anotherobject is to provide a stacker mechanism for stacking prints of butter, oleomargarine or the like delivered to the mechanism in a single layer so that the product is dis-charged from the stacker mechanism with any desired number of prints in a stack depending on the design of the machine, the present disclosure being for four quarter-pound prints of the product which prints are square in cross section, or two half-pound prints which are rectangular in cross section (each print in the latter case beingl the same size in cross se-ction as two quarter-pound prints).

Still another object is to provide an elevator for elevating two quarter-pound or one halfpound print from a delivered position on an intake conveyor to a position on an elevator for moving the product to an elevated position, means being provided to support the product at the elevated position whereupon two more quarter-pounds or one half-pound of the product is elevated thereunder to raise the same and thus provide a stack of four quarter-pounds or two half-pound prints, the elevator operating twice during a cycle of operation of the stacker mechanism.

A further object is'to provide a pusher plate operable to push the stacked product from its elevated and supported position on to yan outlet platform, the pusher plate being operable at half the speed of the elevator so as to operate once each cycle of operation of thestacker mechanism, a novel and simple mechanical drive for the pusher plate being provided which, through a crank drive for the pusher plate and associated mechanism, elevates the pusher plate over` the next sta-ck, of articles being stacked,

Still a further object is to provide a clutch interposed between a motor for operating the stacker mechanism and the elevator andA pusher plate actuating mechanisms to start the operation of the machine when the productI is delivered by the intake belt conveyor to the elevator.

An additional object is to provide a timing connection between the Wrapping machine receiving the product from the stacker mechanism and the drive for the stacker mechanism which times the stacker mechanism with the wrapping machine by stopping the stacker machine each cycle of the wrapping machine, the'wrapping machine being driven at a slightly higher speed than necessary for thispurpose and having a timing latch to stop the mechanism while the motor continues to operate, a friction clutch connection being provided between the motor and the stacker mechanism to permit such stopping and the wrapping machine once each cycle of operation thereof operating the timing latch for permitting the stacker mechanismto start operating at the proper time in each cycle of operation ofthe wrapping machine.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement andcombination of the various parts of my stacker mechanism, whereby the objects contemplatedare attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of a stacker mechanism embodying my present invention.

Figure la isa View of a portion of the wrapping machine shown in my first above mentioned copending application illustrating a timing connection between it and the stacker mechanism of Figure l, Figure la being a continuation of the right hand end of Figure l.

Figure 2zis a rear elevation of Figure 1*, that is, looking at the intake end of the stacker mechanism which; is the left hand end in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 to illustrate more clearly some of the details shown in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 to illustrate a friction clutch connection between a gear box and the stacker mechanism.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line t-- of Figure2.

Figure 'I is a vertical sectional view on the line 'l-l of Figure 2 showing details 0f the pusher plate.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a view similar to a portion of Figure 6 at its right hand end showing the parts in a different position.

Figure 10 is an elevation of an elevator latch plate per se.

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view on the line I I-I I of Figure 6 showing the lower end of the elevator latch plate in cross section and its cooperation with an elevator guide.

Figure 12 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line I2-I2 of Figure 3 showing a timing latch mechanism and a clutch mechanism of the machine.

Figure 13 is a vertical sectional view on the line |3-I3 of Figure 12 showing details of the clutch mechanism.

Figure 14 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of Figure l, the line I4-I4 of Figure 3 indicating where the view is taken.

Figure 15 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the lines I5-I 5 of Figure 3 showing the timing gear connections between an elevator operating shaft and a pusher plate operating shaft of the mechanism; and

Figure 16, 17, 18 and 19 are diagrammatic views showing various positions of the main elements of the stacker mechanism in four steps during a cycle of operation thereof, dotted positions therein showing positions of the parts intermediate such steps.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 20 to indicate a main frame on which the mechanism of my stacker is mounted, the frame itself being leg supported and the legs being indicated at 2 I. An intake conveyor belt 22 is uprovided which passes around a driving drum 23 and an idler drum 24. These drums are mounted on shafts 25 and 26 supported by bearings 21 and 28.

The belt 22 is supported by a plate 29 between conveyor sides |46. The plate 29 is supported on a cross bar 30 and is adapted to deliver the product which will be referred to hereinafter as a print P to an elevator 3 I. The elevator` consists of two L-shaped plates, the horizontal legs of which are designated by the reference numeral 3| already referred to and the vertical legs |29 of which constitute aprons. For all practical purposes the two elements 3| constitute a single elevator member which will hereinafter be referred to as elevator 3|. The elevator 3| is adapted to receive the prints prints P after the elevator is raised from the lowered position of Figure 9 and elevate them to the raised position of Figure 6, the aprons |29 at that time preventing overfeeding of the prints P on the intake conveyor belt 22 while the elevator is in the upper position.

A pusher plate 32 is adapted to push a stack of four of the prints P from the elevator and on to an outlet platform 33. The platform 33 is supported by a cross bar 34 which in turn is supported on posts 35 extending upwardly from the frame 20 and connected together at the top by a cross-bar 36. The cross-bar 30 is supported by posts 31 and the posts 35 and 31 are connected together on the near side in Figure 1 by a slide bar 38 and on the far side by a tie bar 39 (see Figure 2).

The mechanism for accomplishing the stacking of the prints as just described in a general Way wall now be described in detail. The shaft 25 belt 22 is driven by a chain 46 (see Figure 4). The chain meshes with a sprocket 4| on the shaft 25 and a sprocket 42 on a shaft 43. The shaft 43 is the low-speed shaft of a gear reducer shown generally at 44 in Figure 1 and having a high-speed shaft 45 provided with a pulley 46. A belt 49 extends around the pulley 46 and around a pulley 58 which is mounted on a motor shaft 5| of a motor 52. The motor is suitably supported on the frame 28 as illustrated. v

In Figure 5 I illustrate a friction drive between a low-speed gear reducer shaft 43 and the sprocket 42. This consists of a sleeve 53 secured to the shaft as by a pin 54 and having mounted on it a cup-like collar 55 and a friction disc 56. The collar is secured to the sleeve by the pin 54 and a set screw 51 secures the disc 56 to the sleeve. A second friction disc 58 floats on the sleeve and the sprocket is floatingly mounted between the two discs. A spring 59 is interposed between the disc 58 and the collar 55 to provide the necessary friction for driving the sprocket 42 from the shaft 43, the spring, of course, being of the proper tension for permitting slip after a predetermined degree of torque on the shaft 43 after the sprocket 42 is stopped by a timing latch as will hereinafter appear.

An elevator crank shaft 69 is provided (see Figures 2 and 3) and it is journalled in upright frame members BI and 62. A crank S3 is mounted thereon and the crank has a crank pin 64 connected byv a link 15 with a pin 66 extending from a slide 61. The slide 61 encircles a slide bar 68 and is provided with an angle-shaped bracket having a vertical leg 69 and the horizontal length 1U as also shown in Figure 8. Posts 1| extend upwardly from the leg 10 and connect with the elevator elements 3| as shown in Figure 9. The slide bar 68 is stationarily mounted at the lower end on the post 35 and at its upper end on the slide vbar 38 as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The elevator crank shaft 60 is driven from the shaft 25 by a chain 12. Meshing with the chain is a sprocket 13 on the shaft 25 and a sprocket 14 on the shaft 60. In Figures 3 and 13 the sprocket 14 is shown and in the latter figure it will be noted that it is secured by screws 16 to a collar 11 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 60, a sleeve bearing 18 being positioned in the two. The collar 11 is rotatable relative to a second collar 19 which is pinned at 88 to the shaft 60.

Referring to Figure 12, the collar 19 is provided with a slot 8| adapted to receive the nger 92 ol a clutch pawl 83 which is pivoted at 84 to the collar 11. A leaf spring 85 tends to engage the finger 82 with the slot 8|, the spring being secured to the collar 11 by a screw 86.

A clutch control dog 81 is pivoted at 88 and is provided with an extension |44 acting as a stop against a bracket |45 in which the pivot pin 88 and a rock shaft 9| are journalled. The dog 81 is normally rocked counter-clockwise to the position of Figure l2 by a light spring |41 and is kept in that position by a clutch control pawl 89 under the dog 81, a spring 95 normally tending to swing the pawl 89 to this position. The dog 81 is in the path of a lobe 90 on the clutch pawl 83 so as to swing the finger 82 of the pawl out of the notch 8| after the sprocket 14 rotates about threefourths of a revolution, thus stopping the stacker because of no product to be stacked.

The rock shaft 9| on which the pawl 89 is mounted, as shown in Figures 6 and 9, is provided with a trip finger 92. This finger is adapted to be which constitutes a drive shaft for the conveyor 75 engaged by a print P1 as illustrated in Figure 9 2;(348, ISI

in order toswingv the clutch control: pawl 8.9 from the full line position to-the dotted position ofv Fig:- ure l2' when the belt 22 delivers thexproduct for stacking and the print P1 reaches a stop plate 94. The nger 82 will then be in the position of Figure 6 and the dog |31 no longer locked in the raised position by the pawl 89 so that the spring 8.5 will cause the lobe @d to. depress the dog for permitting the pawl finger 82 to engage the periphery of thev collar 19, s-o as to be forcedv by ,the spring 85. into the slot 9i when it comesaround to a position of registry with the finger. Thus the stacker is started again whenever there are prints to wrap and'each; revolution of the sprocket 1.4 depresses the dog 81.

The prints Pl, P2, etc. are driven by friction on the constantly traveling belt 22 which pushes print P1 on to a supporting. plate 93 and against the stop plate 94, the print P1 (thus propelled by the beltA 22) engaging and moving the finger 92 as above described. The stop plate. 94 is actually a depending flange on the platform 33 as disclosed on the drawings.

The supporting plate 33 has two rectangular openings |43 therein and the elevator elements 3| and their aprons |29 travel upwardly through these openings. The elevator 3| elevates the prints between two elevator guide plates 9B. supported by two bars |4| and |42 secured to the posts 35 and past a pair of elevator latch plates 91 also supported by the bars |4| and |42. These latch` plates on their lower ends as shown in Figures 6, l and ll. are provided with supporting shoulders 98 for the prints to support them while the elevator is returning downwardly for additional prints in a manner which will be hereinafter disclosed. The shoulders S3 also support the prints so that a stack of them may be pushed by the pusher plate 32 on to the outlet platform 33.

The pusher plate 32 is secured'to brackets 39 as shown in Figures 6 and 7 which in turn are clamped to a rock shaft |03. The rock shaft is rotatably carried by brackets which are mounted on a cross bar |632. rlhe cross bar is carried at one end by a slide |93 as shown in Figures 1 ande which is slidable on the slide bar 38'. Its other end is provided with a roller |30 which rolls along the tie bar 39. The elevationof the pusher plate 32 may be adjusted by the adjusting screw |34 shown in Figure 7, threaded-y in the bar |02 and engaging a stop arm |85 clamped to the shaft |118. Also clamped to the shaft |03 is an arm |36 carrying a roller |01, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

A pusher plate crank shaft |58 is journalled in the upright frame members 5| and 52A abovethe elevator crank shaft 80. The shaft |Q8`is-geared to the shaft Bil by means of gears |09 and H3 shown per se in Figure 15. The gears Ill) is secured directly to the shafts so that they rotate in synchronism, the shaft |33 at half the speed of the shaft 6B.

The crank shaft i533 has a crank |f|| thereon connected lby a link H2 to a pin ||3 carried by the slide |03. A finger I4 is secured to the link for cooperation with the roller |81 as will be described later. The stacker mechanism disclosed in this application is adapted for use in connection with a wrapping machine, the frame of which is indicated by the reference numeral 48 in Figures l and li. This reference numeral, it will be noted, is underlined and likewise all underlined reference numerals throughout the drawings and particularly Figures l, la, and 4 are the sameas 6. those usedv in myl copending application, Serial No. 29,435, filed May 27, 1948:.. Thestacking machine of thev present application is connected to the wrapping. machine ofthe prior applicationby means of hooks ||5` engaging studs ||6 mounted on the frame members 48. The wrapping machine has an intake conveyor belt 41 for receiving the stacked prints of the product from the stacker machine ofthe present application.

Referring to the detailsof the wrapping machine as shown particularly in Figure la, the frame member 48` extends forwardly and. is connected ywith a frame member |11 as shown in the prior application Aand a rock shaft |34 is. supportedl in relation to the frame member |10 as disclosed therein. The shaft |34 is oscillated once each cyclev of the wrapping machine by a link |36 for swinginga pair of arms |3| having pins |32 to engage a pound of wrapped butter and move it from a pocket of a multiple pocket rotor I1, the pounds of butter being wrapped at previous stations of thev rotor |1. The rotoris advanced one pocket at a time in an intermittent fashion.

It is desirable to time the stacking machine of the present application with the wrapping machine to which it is attached and thisr is ac'- complished by providing a timing latch ||1 in the form of an arm having a hook I8, the arm being pivoted at ||.9. The hook |18 is adapted to en gage a timing arm |20 which is oscillatable on the pusher plate crank shaft |08 and connected to the gear HG by a shock absorber spring |2.|. The spring is connectedA at one end to the gear and at the other end to the timing arm |20 by screws |22 and |23 respectively.

The timing latch ||1 is connected by alink |24, a slide rod |25, a link |26 and an arm|21 to the rock shaft |34. A spring |28 normally tends to move, the timing latch |.|1 to the dotted position of Figure 1 toengage the timing arm |23 and. thus stop operation ofthe stacker'mechanisrn as far back as the sprocket 42 in Figure 5, the shaft 43 then continuingtorotate'with the discs 5.6. and. 58 frictionally engaging and slipping over the opposite Surfaces of the sprocket 42. At the proper time each cycle of operation the arm. |21 movesclockwise far enough to disengage the.` hook |.|B from the timing arm |20 (full line position inA Figures 1 and. la) and thus permits thestackermechanism to operate for another cycle. The relative speeds are such that the cycle of the stacker machine is completed slightly ahead of the cycle of the wrapping machine so that the timing arm. |20 is engaged by the hook ||8 to `stop the operation of the stacker until the wrapping machine catches up with it and then. permits the stacker to complete its next cycle, the cycles of course being repeated as long as the wrapping machine operates. When it ceases to operate, then the hook ||S willr engage the timing arm |213 to prevent further operation of the stacker until the wrapping machine is againlplaced'in operation.

The operationof the elevator 3| is such that it elevates two quarter-pound prints P during one rotation of thev crank 63 and two more quarter-pound prints during a second revolution, all while the pusher plateY crank operates through one revolution. Thus, al1 four prints are pushed at one time off the elevator latch plates-91 and on tothe outlet platform 33. Figures` 1'6 to 19 illustrate the different positions ofthe main parts in diagrammatic manner, the solidline positionstbeing-one-fourth ofa cycle 7. apart and the dotted lines showing intermediate positions of the parts.

In these four figures the link 15 is shown considerably shorter than its actual length in order to clarify the operation diagrammatically. Starting with the elevator 3| in the raised position as in Figures 1 and 6, the full-line position in Figure 16 corresponds thereto. It will be noted that the elevator 3| is at its upper limit of movement and the pusher plate has moved about onefourth of the way forward. The intermediate position between Figures 16 and 1'1 is shown by dotted lines in Figure 16 and occurs when the machine has completed another one-eighth of a cycle and in this position the elevator 3| is substantially one-half the way down and is empty and the pusher plate 32 is one-half the way forward and moving prints P1, P2, P3 and P4 as illustrated by dotted lines.

In Figure 17 the crank 63 has reached the down position and prints P5 and PG are pushed on to the supporting plate 93 by the belt 22 as soon as the elevator 3| and its apron |29 pass the upper surface of 93. The first four prints P1, P2, P3 and P4 elevated by the elevator 3| have been moved ofi the supporting shoulders 90 of the elevator latch plates 91 and are completely on the outlet platform 33. The crank 63 in the full-line position of Figure 17 is all the way down and in the dotted position is half way up. The elevator 3| accordingly is ready to engage the prints P5 and P6 and elevate them as in Figure 18. The down position in Figure 17 has a corresponding position for the pusher plate 32 which is one-fourth of the way forward and, in the dotted position of the crank 63, the crank in its dotted position has moved the pusher plate 32 all the way forward.

In the next quarter of a cycle, the crank 63 moves the elevator 3| to its highest position as in Figure 18, solid lines, and the pusher plate 32 is moved one-fourth of the way back on the return stroke. At this time, the finger ||4 is engaging the roller |01 because the link ||2 is tilting upwardly with respect to the rock shaft instead of downwardly. Accordingly, the pusher plate 32 is being lifted (arrow A) as well as slid backwardly so that it clears the prints P5 and P6 on the elevator 3 I. At the dotted position of the crank 63 the elevator 3| is half-way down and empty and the pusher plate 32 is halfway back and still lifted to clear the prints P5 and PG.

In the next quarter of a cycle as shown in Figure 19, the elevator reaches the down position whereupon prints P7 and P8 move on to the supporting plate S3 and the pusher plate 32 moves to a position three-fourths of the way back and at this time is lowering again (arrow B). Finally in the dotted position of the parts, the elevator 3| is halfway up and about ready to engage and elevate the prints P7 and P8 and the pusher plate 32 is all the way back.

The cycle is then repeated as shown in Figure 16 with the prints P7 and P8 engaging and elevating the prints P5 and P6 so that another stack of four prints will be in position to repeat the stacking cycle.

When the machine runs out of prints and the dog 91 and the pawl 89 are in the position of Figure 12, the shaft S0 will stop rotating when the lobe 90, depressed by the dog, lifts the finger 82 out of the notch 8|. This stops both gears |09 and l0, consequently stopping the motion of both cranks 63 and The weight of the cranks at that time tends to rotate the machine in the reverse direction which would retract the lobe from the dog 81 and allow the finger 82 to drop into the slot 8| which is undesirable. I accordingly provide a ratchet |31 clamped to the DuShGl plate crank shaft |08 as shown in Figure 14. A holding pawl |38 is pivoted to the upright frame member 6| and constrained by a spring |39 t0 engage the teeth of the ratchet |31 which are positioned so as to prevent such reverse rotation when the machine is stopped in the manner just described.

From the foregoing specification, it is obvious that I have provided a stacker mechanism which is comparatively simple as far as the number of parts required for operation is concerned. The design is such that the stacker may be an entirely separate unit operating under its own power, such unit being independent of the wrapping machine with which, however, it must cooperate to Supply stacked products at the same rate that they are wrapped by the wrapping machine. An automatic timing connection is therefore provided which stops operation of the stacker when its cycle of operation has been completed which cycle is precalculated to be faster than the cycle of the Wrapping machine itself. Accordingly, when the cycle of the wrapping machine is completed, it then releases the stacker so that it can commence its next cycle. Thus I am able to provide a Separate stacker unit and yet synchronize it perfectly with the operation of the wrapping machine and this is all accomplished with a relatively simple arrangement that stalls the stacker mechanism without, however, stalling the motor and the gear reducer operated thereby, a friction clutch being provided to permit operation of this character.

The machine is also designed so that it will operate only when prints are supplied to it and providing the wrapping machine is operating. If there are no prints on the belt 22 the pawl 89 is then moved by the spring to the full line DOS- tion of Figure 12 to lock the dog 81.

As shown in Figure 9, the print P1 engages the trip finger 92 to move the clutch control pawl 89 to a position where the clutch control dog 31 may be pushed by the lobe 90 out of the way, thus starting the stacker machine in operation if the timing latch ||1 is in the solid line position of Figure l. Thereafter the clutch control dog 87 is returned to the full line position of Figure l2 by the spring |41. As long as the pawl 89 is held in the dotted position of Figure 12 by a print against the finger 92, the dog will be allowed, due to the spring |41 being considerably weaker than the leaf spring 85, to move away from the lobe 90 but the moment there is no print to move the linger 92, then the pawl 89 will remain under the dos 81 to lock it in a position where it will engage the lobe 90 and retract the nger 82 from the notch 8| when the lobe rotates to a position of registry with the dog thus stopping the elevating mechanism and permitting only the belt 22 to operate. The introduction of additional prints on the belt 22 will then start the stacker to operating again when a print engages the trip finger 92.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my stacker mechanism without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention. Accordingly, it is my intention to cover by my claims such modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents as may be reasonably included within their scope. In said claims I have referred to the ele- 9 vator 3f elevating one unit of product and on a second stroke elevating a second unit `and stacking it under the first unit. On the drawings I have shown two units elevated in the rst stroke and two units in the second stroke. As -the number of units is vimmaterial as long as one or more units are stacked under another one or more units, it is to be understood that the singular use of unit in the claims is also broad enough to cover more than one unit.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a stacker of the character described, a frame, a supporting plate and an -outlet platform mounted thereon, an intake conveyor supported on said frame to deliver units-of a product to said supporting plate, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered from said supporting 'plate and elevating the same, latch plates mounted on said frame above said supporting plate and receiving and supporting the unit elevated yby said elevator, said elevator delivering an additional unit to said latch plates beneath the first unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them off said latch plates and on to said outlet platform, an arm on which said pusher is mounted, said arm being pivoted, an elevator crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said elevator, a pusher crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said pusher, said crank shafts being geared together at a two-to-one ratio, and means for pivoting said arm and thereby elevating said pusher over the first unit supported 'by said latch plates during the return stroke of said pusher.

2. In a stacker mechanism, a frame, a supporting plate and an outlet platform Vmounted at different elevations thereon, an intake conveyor on said frame adapted to deliver units .of a product to said supporting plate, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered from said supporting plate and elevating the same, means on said frame above said supporting plate for receiving and vsupporting the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator delivering an additional unit to said means beneath the first unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them olf said means and on to said outlet platform, an elevator crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said elevator, a pusher crank shaft and linky mechanism for reciprocating said pusher plate, said crank shafts being geared together with said elevator crank shaft rotating at twice the speed of said pusher crank shaft, said pusher being swingably'mounted for lifting over the first unit supported by said means during the return stroke of the pusher, said pusher and the link for said pusher having coacting arms to accomplish such lifting when the link is swung by the pusher crank to one side only of a line between the center of the pusher crank shaft and the pivot point of the link to the pusher.

3. In a stacker mechanism of the character described, a frame, a supporting plate and an outlet platform mounted thereon, an intake conveyor supported on said frame and adapted to deliver units of a product to said supporting plate, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered from said supporting plate and elevating the same on a first stroke thereof, latch plates mounted on said frame for receiving andv supporting the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator on a second stroke thereof delivering an additional unit to said latch plates beneath the first unit, pusher plate for engaging the two Aunits and moving them off said latch plates and on `to said outlet platform, a rst means for amarsi reciprocating said elevator, a second means for reciprocating said pusher plate, said rst and second means being geared together with said first means rotating at twice the speed of said Asecond means, said pusher plate being swingably mounted for elevation over the first unit sup- -ported by said latch plates during the return stroke ofthe pusher plate, said pusher plate and said second means having coacting arms to -accomplish such lifting.

4; lIn a stacker, a frame, a supporting plate and an outlet platform mounted thereon, an intake conveyor supported on said frame and adapted to deliver units of a product to said supporting plate, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered from said supporting plate and elevating the same, latch plates mounted on said frame above said supporting plate and receiving and supporting the unit elevated by said elevator on a rst stroke thereof, said elevator on a second stroke delivering an additional unit to said latch plates beneath the first unit, a pusher plate for engaging the two units and moving them off said latch plates and on to said outlet platform, said `stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable wrapping machine and having a cycle of operation of slightly less length than the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine, and a timing connection with a cyclically operable element of the wrapping machine adapted to stall the stacker mechanism, lthe stacker mechanism having its own power source connected by a slip friction clutch with said stacker mechanism.

5. In a stacker mechanism of the character described, a frame, an outlet platform mounted thereon, an elevator, an intake conveyor adapted lto deliver units of a product to said elevator, said elevatorengaging a unit delivered thereto and elevating the same, latch plates mounted on said frame above said conveyor and receiving and supporting the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator delivering an additional unit to said latch plates beneath the first unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them orf said latch plates and on to said outlet platform, said stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable 'wrapping machine and having a cycle of operation of slightly less length than the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine, and a timing connection with a cyclically operable ele- -ment of the wrapping machine adapted to stall the stacker mechanism at the completion of its -cyole until -the wrapping machine has completed its cycle.

6. In .a stacker mechanism of the character described, a frame, a supporting plate and an outlet platform mounted thereon, an intake conveyor supported on said frame and adapted to `deliver units `of a product to said supporting plate, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered from'said supporting plate and elevating the same,-latch plates vmounted on said frame above ysaid supporting plate and receiving and supporting` the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevater `deli-vering `an additional unit to said latch plates beneath the rst unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them off Ysaid latch plates :anden to said outlet platform, power means for actuating said stacker mechanism, said stacker mechanism being adapted 'to deliver the stackedV units to Aa cyclically operable wrap- Aping machine and having a cycle of operation of .slightly less length than the cycle of operation 11 of the wrapping machine, and a timing connection with a cyclically operable element of the wrapping machine adapted to stall said stacker mechanism, said stacker mechanism being connected by a slip friction clutch with said power means.

7. In a stacker mechanism of the character described, a frame, a supporting plate and an outlet platform mounted thereon, an intake conveyor supported on said frame and adapted to deliver units of a product to said supporting plate, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered from said supporting plate and elevating they same, means mounted on said frame above said supporting plate and receiving and supporting the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator delivering an additional unit to said means beneath the first unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them off said means and on to said outlet platform, an elevator crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said elevator, a pusher crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said pusher, said crank shafts being geared together at a two-to-one ratio, means for elevating said pusher over the first unit supported by said means during the return stroke of the pusher, said stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable wrapping machine and having a cycle of operation of slightly less length than the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine, and a timing connection with a cyclically operable element of the wrapping machine adapted to stall said crank shafts, the stacker mechanism having its own power source connected by a slip friction clutch with said crank shafts.

8. In a stacker mechanism, a frame, an outlet platform mounted thereon, an elevator, an intake conveyor adapted to deliver units of a product to said elevator, latch plates for receiving and supporting a unit elevated by said elevator on a first stroke thereof, said elevator cn a second stroke delivering an additional unit to said latch plates beneath the first unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them off said latch plates and on to said outlet platform, an elevator crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said elevator, a pusher crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said I pusher, means for elevating said pusher over the first unit supported by said latch plates during the return stroke of the pusher, said stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable wrapping machine and having a cycle of operation of less length than the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine, and a timing connection with a cyclically operable element of the wrapping machine adapted to stall said crank shafts between the completion of the cycle of operation of the stacker mechanism and the completion of the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine.

9. In a stacker mechanism of the character described, a frame, a supporting plate and an outlet platform mounted thereon, an intake conveyor on said frame adapted to deliver units of a product to said supporting plate, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered from said supporting plate and elevating the same, latch plates mounted on said frame for receiving and supporting the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator delivering an additional unit to said latch plates beneath the rst unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them off said latch plates and on to said outlet platform, an elevator crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said elevator, a pusher crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said pusher, said crank shafts being geared together, said stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable wrapping machine and having a cycle of operation of less length than the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine, and a timing connection with a cyclically operable element of the wrapping machine adapted to stall said crank shafts, the stacker mechanism having its own power source connected by slip friction means with said crank shafts and said intake conveyor.

l0. In a stacker, a frame, an outlet platform mounted thereon, an elevator, an intake conveyor adapted to deliver units of a product to said elevator, latch plates receiving and supporting a unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator delivering a second unit to said latch plates beneath the first unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them off said latch plates and on to said outlet platform, said stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable wrapping machine and having a cycle of operation of slightly less length than the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine, and a timing connection with a cyclically operable element of the wrapping machine adapted to stall said stacker each cycle of the wrapping machine, said stacker having its own power source connected by a slip friction clutch with said elevator, said pusher and said intake conveyor.

ll. In a stacker mechanism of the character described, a frame, an outlet platform mounted thereon, an intake conveyor belt adapted to deliver units of a product, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered by said conveyor belt and elevating the same, latch plates receiving and supporting the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator on delivering an additional unit to said latch plates beneath the first unit for thereby stacking the two units, a pusher for engaging the stacked units and moving them off said latch plates and on to said outlet platform, an elevator crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said elevator, a pusher crank shaft and link mechanism for reciprocating said pusher, said stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable wrapping machine and having a cycle of operation of less length than the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine, and a timing connection between a cyclically operable element of the wrapping machine and said crank shafts, the stacker mechanism having its own power source connected by a slip friction clutch with said crank shafts and said intake conveyor belt.

12. In a stacker mechanism, a frame, a supporting plate and an outlet platform mounted thereon, an intake conveyor supported on said frame and adapted to deliver units of a product to said supporting plate, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered from said supporting plate and elevating the same, means mounted on said frame for receiving and supporting the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator on a second stroke delivering an additional unit to said means beneath the first unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them off said means and on to said outlet platform, said stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable wrapping machine and having a cycle of operation of less length than the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine, a timing connection with a cyclcally operable element of the wrapping machine adapted to stall the stacker mechanism, the stacker mechanism having its own power source connected by a slip friction clutch with the stacker mechanism, a clutch connection between said power source and said elevator and pusher including normally engaged elements, a clutch dog adapted to be positioned for disengaging said elements to thereby stop operation of the elevator and the pusher, and a trip finger and a clutch control pawl normally operable to retain said clutch dog in such position, sadi trip nger, when engaged by the product delivered by said conveyor belt on to said supporting plate, removing said clutch control pawl from coaction with said clutch dog.

13. In a stacker mechanism, a frame, an outlet platform mounted thereon, an elevator, an intake conveyor supported on said frame and adapted to deliver units of a product to said elevator for engaging a unit delivered by said conveyor and elevating the same, latch plates mounted on said frame above said supporting plate and receiving and supporting the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator delivering an additional unit to said latch plates beneath the rst unit, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them off said latch plates and on to said outlet platform, said stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable wrapping machine, and a timing connection with a cyclically operable element of the wrapping machine adapted to stall the stacker mechanism during a portion of each cycle of operation thereof, the stacker mechanism having its own power source connected by a slip friction clutch with the mechanism, a clutch connection between said power source, the mechanism and a trip nger operable to render said clutch connection operative when said trip iinger is engaged by the product delivered by said conveyor to said elevator.

14. A stacker mechanism comprising a frame,

a supporting plate and an outlet platform mounted thereon, an intake conveyor supported on said frame and adapted to deliver units of a product to said supporting plate, an elevator for engaging a unit delivered from said supporting plate and elevating the same, means mounted on said frame above said supporting plate and receiving and supporting the unit elevated by said elevator, said elevator on a second stroke delivering an additional unit to said means beneath the first unt, a pusher for engaging the two units and moving them 01T said latch plates and on to said outlet platform, said stacker mechanism being adapted to deliver the stacked units to a cyclically operable wrapping machine and having a cycle of operation of slightly less length than the cycle of operation of the wrapping machine, a timing connection with a cyclically operable element of the wrapping machine adapted to stall the stacker mechanism between the completion of a stacker mechanism cycle and the completion of a wrap-ping machine cycle, and a clutch connection for said elevator and pusher including normally engaged elements, a clutch dog adapted to be positioned for disengaging said elements to thereby stop operation of the elevator and the pusher, and a trip finger normally operable to retain said clutch control dog in such position, said trip finger, when engaged by the product delivered by said conveyor on to said supporting plate, removing said pawl from coaction with said dog to permit operation of said clutch connection.

THOMAS B. DALTON.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 394,842 Eichler Dec. 18, 1888 1,292,636 Parker Jan. 28, 1919 1,609,802 Ekstrom et al. Dec. 7, 1926 1,673,014 Morrison June 12, 1928 2,498,071 Dalziel Feb. 21, 1950 

